Zhao Jisheng and others occupied the Rising Sun Palace, locked Zhuge Ciyun and others in Zhongshu Province and sent people to monitor them. He was in the study of the Ministry of Works, waiting for the supervisory censor who was responsible for liaison between the capital and Xishen Pass to report new situations at any time.
However, I don't know if the situation is not progressing, and no one has reported the news, and it has entered late at night.
At this time...
There was a faint sound of wailing from far away in the corridor, and after a while, Zhao Jisheng's soldiers came in escorting two women.
"What's up?"
"These two women are sneaky..."
Zhao Jisheng and the others knew one of the women, she was a palace concubine.
"Oh, isn't this Mingyan?"
"Yes, yes..."
Mingyan and another petite and well-behaved court lady looked at the room of the Ministry of Works uneasily.
"It's so late, what are you doing here? These are extraordinary times."
"Okay, okay, Minister of Rites..."
Zhao Jisheng smiled and waved to Mingyan, gesturing for her to come in.
"There hasn't been a party for a while, and I haven't seen you for a while. Why are you getting more and more beautiful?"
"Sir... I want to ask you something."
"What's up?"
"I heard that something important happened while the emperor was away, but we only heard rumors. We wanted to ask someone, but we didn't know where to find someone. We saw the lights here, so we came over to see what happened...
What's up?"
"fine……"
Zhao Jisheng coughed slightly and opened his hands.
"It's okay, you don't have to worry."
"……Really?"
"certainly."
Ming Yan and the other palace servants were obviously relieved and smiled at Zhao Jisheng and the others.
"Then we can rest assured. If there is no banquet, we won't be able to see you. If there is anything you can do to help, please feel free to tell us. We will take our leave now."
Mingyan bowed and was about to leave when Zhao Jisheng stopped her.
"Wait a moment. Now that you've arrived, please settle down and sit down for a while before leaving!"
"Everyone in the Jiaofang is worried. We need to go back and inform them as soon as possible..."
"Didn't you just say that if you need any help, you can give me your orders at any time?"
Mingyan turned back quietly, with a smile and tilted her head slightly.
"...Do you have any instructions, sir?"
"We are bored! Come and keep us company?"
"If you don't mind it, of course I will be happy... If you can give us some time, I will tell everyone to make preparations."
"Um?"
"Some of the court ladies haven't gone to bed yet, so you can prepare some tea or wine... and midnight snacks..."
Zhao Jisheng looked at the other princes and nobles.
"...That's right, I'm a little hungry."
"Will you bring wine?"
"We will prepare."
Shortly after Ming Yan and another palace servant left, dozens of palace servants filed into the Rising Sun Palace, each holding wine, food and snacks in their hands.
The study room of the Ministry of Industry suddenly turned into a banquet hall.
The court ladies did not make any noise, and poured wine for everyone with smiles on their faces. They also gave snacks to the soldiers who were standing by with smiles on their faces.
The relaxed atmosphere allowed Zhao Jisheng and others to drink happily. After the wine pot was empty, other palace servants brought new wine.
Soon... the wine glass slipped from the hand of a prince and nobleman.
The cups in other people's hands also fell one after another, and everyone slipped from their chairs.
None of the court ladies were surprised, they carefully observed the situation of the others.
"……master?"
The soldiers noticed something was wrong with their master and rushed over. The palace servants stood in front of them.
"do not move!"
A court servant whispered an order, took out a dagger from his arms, and placed the white-lit blade in front of the limp Zhao Jisheng.
The soldiers all took a deep breath.
"I just let them sleep for a while...but if you dare to resist, your master will never wake up."
"You...what do you want?"
"That's what we wanted to ask you."
Mingyan stood next to Qing'er who was holding a dagger, looking down at Zhao Jisheng coldly.
"These great people are the rebels who kidnapped our friends and occupied the palace. You have been deceived."
"..."
The soldiers looked at each other suspiciously. Qing'er held her dagger against Zhao Jisheng and looked around at the soldiers.
"Put down your swords immediately and leave this stupid master alone. Those who obey orders can be treated with leniency. I am the wife of Zhuge Qing, a doctor in the household department, and I will plead with the emperor for you."
"...How do we know what leniency is, and how can we believe it so easily?"
One of the tall soldiers muttered, holding the hilt of his sword.
Hearing these words, other family soldiers who were still hesitating also came to their senses and grasped the swords on their waists one after another.
"Are you planning to draw your sword to resist? I advise you to give up this idea, otherwise, your master's life will be in danger."
"You said you are the wife of Dr. Tobe. I see your little arms and legs. Do you dare to kill someone?"
"...Of course I dare."
Although Qing'er answered this way, she regretted hesitating for a moment.
She has never killed anyone, and of course it is impossible for her to kill anyone.
But...you still have to risk it when necessary.
...Zhuge Qing is fighting.
Shui Xinyuan is in pain.
So, I have to do what I can here now!
"Of course I dare to kill people."
Qing'er spoke again and glared at the big soldier.
However, the soldier noticed her bluff and slowly drew his sword.
"Give people back to us, we are not joking."
"Do you really want to rebel?"
"Only the victorious party has the right to decide who is the rebel."
The soldiers came over with their swords drawn, and the palace servants screamed.
Qing'er closed her eyes hard and waved the dagger.
"...!"
Mingyan grabbed her hand.
At the same time, the sound of fencing sounded.
"...So that's what happened. According to your logic, it's fine as long as we win."
Hearing this calm voice, Qing'er opened her eyes.
The big soldier fell to the ground with a sword in his hand, and what stepped on him was...
"Father...Father!"
Didn't I just hear Uncle Fu say that my father-in-law was arrested and tied up with a rope? Why did my father-in-law step hard on the head of Zhao Jisheng's soldier?
A closer look revealed that there were several men who looked like officials around Zhuge Ciyun, fighting with other soldiers.
"Daughter-in-law, are you okay?"
"...Uh, so-so..."
"It can be cleaned up soon, just wait a moment."
Zhuge Ciyun spoke in a relaxed tone, as if he was cleaning a room, and then he neatly assisted the officials who were struggling to fight off their opponents, and defeated Zhao Jisheng's soldiers one after another.
"sharp!"
"Lord Zhongshu Ling is too strong!"
The beautiful swordsmanship attracted cheers from the palace servants. Zhuge Ciyun calmly raised his hand in response from time to time, beating the last soldier to a pulp, and then kicked the unconscious man on the ground to the corner of the room.
"Master Zhuge, you have stolen all the limelight."
"Who told you to be slow?"
"Don't say that. When we were in the Imperial Study Room, our contribution was greater."
These people seem to be officials from Zhongshu Province.
Qing'er breathed a sigh of relief, and Mingyan also let go of Qing'er's wrist.
"Lord Zhongshu Ling, I heard that you fell into their hands..."
"Yes! It was true just now, but the rope was broken, so I came to take care of them."
Zhuge Ciyun said, swinging the knife that could be hidden in his sleeve.
He must have used the knife to cut the rope and escape.
"So, we don't have to go out of our way to help..."
"That's not the case. Of course, the less trouble the better. You guys have been a big help by taking care of these guys."
These guys... Zhuge Ciyun pointed at the officials and princes and nobles who fell on the ground.
"Father, what should we do with them?"
"Well, tie them up first."
The court ladies couldn't wait to take out the ropes they had prepared long ago.
"Qing'er, how do I tie it up?"
"Wrap them around and around, making sure they are tight."
"Remember to tie your feet."
"Why are they so pale?"
"It doesn't matter whether their faces are white or red, as long as they don't wake up."
"...What on earth did you give them to drink just now?"
Mingyan used the toe of her shoe to kick Zhao Jisheng, who was tied up and rolled his eyes on the ground. Qing'er shrugged.
"I don't know, I just mixed the things Uncle Fu brought into the dishes."
"Oh, yes..."
Uncle Fu just happened to walk in and saw the tied-up princes and nobles being dragged around on the ground by the court servants and lined up in a row, showing sympathetic expressions.
"...You really can't do bad things."
"Ah, Uncle Fu, thank you for the medicine. Although I don't know what it is, it is very effective."
"That's good."
"Although this question is not important, where did those medicines come from?"
"I planted it in the backyard of the workshop. My friend from the medicine shop taught me to plant a lot of medicinal herbs and poisonous weeds, saying that they were just in case of emergencies..."
"...Although it really comes in handy, don't plant some weird things in the workshop..."
That was obviously not a medicinal herb, but a poisonous weed.
With the help of all the officials, those guys were tied up so that they could not move.
Seeing the joyful looks of all the court ladies, Qing'er looked back at her father-in-law and said, "We won't get scolded, right?"
"How could it be? It's too late to praise you!"
Zhuge Ciyun reached out and took the dagger from Qing'er's hand.
"Don't worry here, you can go back to Chunying Palace."
"I'll go back right now... Mingyan, I'm leaving first."
"Okay, thank you for your hard work."
Mingyan waved her hand, Qing'er nodded, stepped on the big soldier who was tied to the ground, and walked out of the room.
Mingyan looked at her back and said in a tone that sounded both surprised and admiring: "...it's so peaceful to have such a daughter-in-law at home!"